Thursday, August 28, 2014

In July, the COMPASS Board adopted Communities in Motion 2040, the regional
long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon Counties. Now COMPASS is
asking for your comments on proposed changes to the Transportation Service
Coordination Plan for Ada and Canyon Counties. This has raised a lot of
questions. Are they the same thing? If not, how are the two plans different?
How do they relate to each other? Why does COMPASS have so many different plans
in the first place?

Let me answer these in order.

1. Are the two plans the same thing? No. While they are both
transportation plans for Ada and Canyon Counties, Communities in Motion 2040 and the Transportation Service
Coordination Plan for Ada and Canyon Counties are not the same thing.

2. How do the two plans differ? Basically, Communities in Motion 2040 is a long-range plan that discusses all
transportation modes for all individuals and the Transportation Service
Coordination Plan is a shorter-range plan specifically to address the public
transportation needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities.
Additional differences and similarities are shown in the side-by-side
comparison below:

Communities
in Motion

Transportation Service

Coordination Plan

Area
covered

Ada and Canyon Counties

Ada and Canyon Counties

Time
frame

Long term; plans to the year 2040

Short term; plans for the immediate
future

Focus

All modes of transportation for all
populations

Public transportation for older
adults and individuals with disabilities

Purpose

To plan a transportation system to
meet future needs based on projected growth in population and jobs within
projected financial constraints

To improve current transportation
services for older adults and individuals with disabilities; specifically to coordinate
transportation access, minimize duplication of services, and facilitate the
most appropriate cost-effective transportation possible

Required

By the US Department of
Transportation for any area with a population over 50,000 to received federal
transportation funds

By the Federal Transit
Administration (part of the US Department of Transportation) to receive
federal transportation funds specifically for older adults and individuals
with disabilities.

3. How do the two plans relate to each other? Communities
in Motion 2040 sets the stage and establishes a vision, goals, and
performance metrics that are then reflected in the Transportation Service
Coordination Plan. For example, the Transportation Service Coordination Plan
prioritizes near-term public transportation projects for older adults and
individual with disabilities that align with the goals and vision of Communities in Motion 2040. In addition,
performance metrics established for the Transportation Service Coordination
Plan mirror those developed for Communities
in Motion 2040.

4. Why does COMPASS have so many plans? While multiple plans may seem duplicative,
they do serve different needs and plan at different levels of detail and for
different time periods. Developing strategies to meet immediate needs for
public transportation services for specific populations, such as in the
Transportation Service Coordination Plan, is very different than planning for
all populations across all modes of transportation to meet needs 26 years into
the future, as Communities in Motion
does.

To
put this in a personal perspective, just as you may be separately, but simultaneously,
planning for your retirement and your
next vacation – different goals with unique needs and different time frames –
different transportation plans, even plans developed at the same, fulfill distinct,
yet equally important, roles.

I encourage you to take a few moments to review and
comment on the Transportation Service Coordination Plan particularly if you are a public transportation provider or have
a tie to the plan’s target populations of individuals with disabilities and
older adults. Comments will be accepted through Tuesday, September 9, 2014.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

I am
duly impressed by the athleticism and talent of our nation’s professional
athletes. Many of these – for good or for bad – serve as role models, even
“heroes,” to our children. While these individuals are impressive athletes, and
many are also impressive human beings, they provide an unrealistic ideal for
our children to strive for, and a perception that a person must be rich,
famous, and “the best” at something to make an impact.

What
about all of the quiet, local, unsung heroes? Those that make a positive
difference in our daily lives, and the lives of generations to come, by
volunteering in the community, going the “extra mile” at work, or choosing to
run for office? What about those who through hard work and perseverance turn
what seemed like an unachievable goal into reality? Do our children look up to
them as heroes or role models? Do we?

We
should.

While
these people may not be rich or famous, or don’t have a line of shoes that bears
their name, they are the leaders that impact our lives, and the lives of future
generations. They are the ones who must make the tough – and sometimes
unpopular – decisions for the greater good; not just the “good” of their
agency, boss, or those that voted for him or her. That takes true courage – the
makings of a hero.

The
COMPASS Leadership in Motion awards program is designed to recognize and honor those
who are our true local “heroes” – volunteers, professionals, and elected
officials who are making a difference. In addition to the “people” awards,
Leadership in Motion also recognizes businesses/nonprofits and
government-sponsored projects that move us toward the future, and toward the
goals established in Communities in Motion 2040,
the regional long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon Counties.

While
our children likely won’t suddenly be clamoring to replace the poster of their
sports hero with a poster of a mayor, planner, or engineer, or want to buy the
coolest loafers because a commissioner was seen wearing them, maybe we can make
a dent in how we view our heroes – our leaders – by taking the time to nominate
someone, or a business/nonprofit or project, that has had a genuine impact on
our valley.

Nominations
for COMPASS Leadership in Motion awards can be submitted here and will be
accepted through 3:00 pm, Tuesday, September 30, 2014. Awards will be presented
at the COMPASS/Valley Regional Transit holiday luncheon on Monday, December 15,
2014.

Monday, August 18, 2014

As
part of the process of updating Communities
in Motion, the regional long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon
Counties, the COMPASS Board of Directors chose to focus federal funding
allocated through the Communities in Motion 2040 plan on maintaining the current transportation system.

The
FY2015-2019 Regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), open for public comment throughSeptember 9, 2014, is the first TIP developed
under this new direction from the COMPASS Board. This focus on maintenance
affects the projects you will see – or not see – in this draft TIP.
Understanding what this means, how the funding process works, and why the
COMPASS Board made this decision will help you as you review and comment on the
draft TIP.

First,
it’s important to understand what types of projects are in the TIP, how they
are funded, and which types of funding the “focus on maintenance” applies to.
There are many, many types of funding…I’ve greatly over-simplified and lumped them
into three categories:

1. Federal Surface Transportation Funding (STP). This is the largest, and most
flexible, “pot” of federal funding the area receives. By “flexible,” I mean it
can be used for the widest variety of projects. It is this STP funding that the
“focus on maintenance” applies to; the funds are split between roadway/bridge
(82%), public/alternative transportation (15%), and planning/special projects
(3%). Some STP funds are also taken “off the top” for specific purposes.

2. Other federal funds. These include a myriad of federal
funds, many of which are dedicated to specific types of projects, including
Federal Transit Administration funds for public transportation projects, funding
for safety projects, and funding for bicycle, pedestrian, and other alternative
transportation projects. While the STP funds are very flexible, these funds are
generally not, and are not included under the “focus on maintenance” direction.
However, because STP funds are flexible, the same types of projects funded with
these “other” funds can often also be funded with STP funds. So, for example,
in the TIP you will see some public transportation projects funded with STP
funds (therefore, they are maintenance projects) and other public
transportation projects funded with Federal Transit Administration funds (they
may or may not maintenance projects).

3. Local/state
funding. Very
broadly, these are all funds that are not federal funds. They come from state
fuel tax, local property tax, registration fees, and more. Some, but not all,
of these projects are listed in the TIP, based on a variety of criteria
including type, size, and location of the project.

Next,
it’s important to understand how “maintenance” is defined in this context.
“Maintenance” goes far beyond filling potholes. Simply put, in this
context, a “maintenance” project is any project that does not expand the
existing transportation system. The funds can be used to improve safety,
rebuild bridges, replace or maintain buses, resurface roads, and, yes, fill
potholes. In addition, certain projects that are “opportunistic” can be done
within the focus on maintenance. For example, completing a missing portion of a
bike lane or sidewalk could be included in a road maintenance project, even
though these projects are technically adding something “new.” It is just simply
the practical thing to do to be the most efficient with the funding we have.

Finally,
it’s important to note that this doesn’t apply to any projects that were
already in the TIP. The TIP is a five-year budget, so projects often first
appear in the TIP several years before they are scheduled to begin. For
example, a project scheduled for this year (2014) may have first appeared in
the FY2010-2014 TIP, which was adopted by the COMPASS Board in November 2010. The
focus on maintenance only applies to new projects in FY2015-2019 TIP (and
future TIPs), so the shift is gradual. While most new projects in the
FY2015-2019 TIP are maintenance, many projects that were already
scheduled/budgeted are not. More maintenance projects will be added each year as
existing capital (e.g., construction) projects are completed.

Over 90% of the new projects in
the draft FY2015-2019 TIP are maintenance projects, funded with STP funds, as
described above. The remaining 10% are paid for with other federal and local funding
sources.

Now
that we’ve discussed what this means and how it is applied, we have the bigger
question of “why” – with our rapidly growing population, why did the COMPASS
Board choose to focus federal funding on maintenance? Why not focus on new projects?
While I do not want to attempt to speak for each Board member, three main
reasons were the center of the discussion:

1. We need to maintain what we have
before building something new. Just as a person likely wouldn’t spend money to
repaint his car if he couldn’t afford to change the oil, the Board felt it was
important to first make sure we are keeping what we have in good working order.

2. Preventive maintenance costs less than
fixing something that is “broken.” Using the same car example, it is much less
expensive to pay to change the oil on a regular basis than to forgo maintenance
and have to replace a ruined engine. Spending money on preventive maintenance
now costs less than having to completely rebuild or replace a section of
roadway or bridge later.

3. “New” things must also be maintained.
Just as happened with some highly publicized “free” car giveaways, winners of
those free cars were not able to keep them because they couldn’t afford the
costs of owning and maintaining the car. The same is true with public
infrastructure. Costs don’t end when something is built or acquired…ongoing
costs are just beginning.

I hope
this will help you as you review the draft TIP, and notice a decrease in
construction and other capital projects and an increase in maintenance. Please
take a few minutes to review and comment on the projects in the TIP –
maintenance and otherwise – and tell us if you agree with the proposed projects.
Click here to review and comment; comments are due no later than Tuesday, September 9, 2014.

Monday, August 11, 2014

I’ve
been asked why COMPASS seems to “always” be asking for public comment on
something…“these” goals, “those” projects, and “this,” “that,” and “the other”
plan. Why does COMPASS reach out to the public so often…and, why are we doing
it again now?

The
short answer is “it’s required.” Federal law requires that metropolitan
planning organizations such as COMPASS solicit and consider public feedback
when developing a long-range transportation plan (ours is called Communities in Motion) and a Regional
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). COMPASS also solicits public input
into other projects and plans as well.

However,
there is much more to it than filling a requirement. Most transportation
projects are big – they cost large sums of money (your tax dollars), they are
often disruptive when under construction, and they have the potential to impact
the landscape of an area and the quality of life of the residents who live
there for many, many years. Decisions about these large, impactful projects
should never be taken lightly or without input from those who will be affected.

People
are often surprised when they suddenly see orange stakes driven in the side of
the road, bulldozers starting to move dirt, or a new bus route they didn’t know
about. It is COMPASS’ goal to keep that surprise to a minimum by keeping people
informed of what is coming, and to answer questions and consider input about
projects, before they start.

We ask
for public input in a variety of different stages in the planning process. For
example, earlier this spring we asked for input on the draft Communities in Motion 2040 plan. That
plan sets long-term goals and transportation priorities for the region. In
addition to asking for input into the draft plan itself, we also asked for
feedback on key decisions before they were made. Those key decisions were the
“meat” of the plan; by asking for input on those throughout the planning
process we were able to develop a plan with the public input, instead of
developing a plan then asking “what do you think?” once it was done.

In the
title of this post, I tell you we are asking for comment again. This round of
comments is not on Communities in Motion;
it is on projects in the TIP and related documents and on the Transportation
Service Coordination Plan. While Communities
in Motion is a long-range planning document, the items we’re looking for
input on now focus on more discrete projects and decisions.

In the draft
TIP, we’re asking for your feedback on federally funded and “regionally
significant” projects scheduled for the next five years. These are based on
priorities set in Communities in Motion, but move from broad priorities
to actual, on-the-ground, projects. For example, when developing Communities
in Motion 2040, the COMPASS Board established a priority to focus federal
funding allocated through Communities in Motion on maintaining the current
transportation system. You can see that reflected in the draft TIP, as nearly
90% of new projects added this year (primarily scheduled for 2019 and beyond)
are maintenance projects. The remainder are safety and planning projects, as
well as some transit and pedestrian projects that are funded through specific
transit and bicycle/pedestrian programs. (The “focus on maintenance” direction
from the COMPASS Board does not affect projects that were budgeted/scheduled in
the TIP prior to this year.)

We are
also asking for your feedback on the air quality conformity demonstration for
Northern Ada County for the projects in the draft TIP. The process tell us that
the projects in the draft TIP “conform” to air quality plans – that is, they
will not worsen air quality. The draft TIP also contains the FY2015 federal
program of projects proposed for funding by Valley Regional Transit.

In
addition to the draft TIP and related documents, we are also asking for your
input into proposed changes to the Ada and Canyon County Transportation ServiceCoordination Plan – a document that provides guidance on how to allocate
federal funds designated for public transportation to serve seniors and
individuals with disabilities. Again, this moves from broad goals to improve
transportation services in Communities in
Motion to the specifics of “how” to do that for specific populations.

While
I can certainly understand if you are feeling “comment fatigue,” I encourage
you to take a few moments to review the materials provided and share your
feedback. Taking a few minutes now to be aware of what’s coming and have your
say certainly beats an unexpected surprise later.

Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho

COMPASS is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization responsible for transportation planning in Ada and Canyon Counties. The COMPASS Board comprises 39 members representing the cities, counties, highway districts, educational institutions, state agencies, and other entities within the two counties. COMPASS plays an important role in making decisions about future long-range transportation needs in the Treasure Valley, taking into consideration environmental and economic factors that affect the quality of life.

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Matt Stoll, Executive Director

Matt Stoll has been the Executive Director of the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) since 2004. Under Matt’s direction, COMPASS has focused on developing and retaining collaborative and cooperative partnerships with local, state, and federal planning agencies and with Treasure Valley communities.

Matt has a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography from the State Univer­sity of New York and a Master of Arts degree in geography from Arizona State University. He is married with two daughters and is active in the Treasure Valley com­munity through his involvement in volunteer and non-profit organizations.

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